Ministry without walls

By Rebecca Clark

Published: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 05:19 PM.

Both men served at Flint Grove Baptist Church in Gastonia during the 1980s.

"We wanted to take our entire choir outside the walls of our church and, in addition, show the love of Christ in a tangible way by providing helping hands to those needing help," McCollum previously told The Star.

After a morning spent working, lunch was provided for the group at the Baptist Men's Work Camp on Sharpton Road.

Meeting needs

Clyde Strickland, choir member, said his group was paired up with Elizabeth Baptist Church.

They came with choir books and willing hands, ready to paint, hammer and minister to the people of Cleveland County.

Beginning early Saturday morning, 80 choir members from Spring Valley Baptist Church in Columbia, S.C., scattered throughout the county to paint homes, assist with a clothing give-away, build wheelchair ramps and conduct a survey.

Five local churches paired up with Spring Valley to provide transportation and assistance.

Saturday evening, the church's choir members performed an Easter musical, 'Victorious,' at Elizabeth Baptist Church as a grand finale to the ministry.

'Helping hands'

The community mission work was a result of connections between Spring Valley Baptist's choir director, Dr. Rick McCollum, and the Rev. Charles Reed, ministry team leader of the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association.

Both men served at Flint Grove Baptist Church in Gastonia during the 1980s.

"We wanted to take our entire choir outside the walls of our church and, in addition, show the love of Christ in a tangible way by providing helping hands to those needing help," McCollum previously told The Star.

After a morning spent working, lunch was provided for the group at the Baptist Men's Work Camp on Sharpton Road.

Meeting needs

Clyde Strickland, choir member, said his group was paired up with Elizabeth Baptist Church.

He spent the morning working on a wheelchair ramp.

"I thought it was a great idea," Strickland said. "It's nice to get outside our own community...see their needs."

Not only was he able to lend a helping hand, but he said it provides an opportunity to build camaraderie between different churches.

Mike McGee, Elizabeth Baptist's minister of music, said his group went out to paint an elderly couple's home.

"This has been great," McGee said. "It was a real needy situation and that's what this is all about."

Vandy Hobbs, who was part of the Second Baptist Church group, helped conduct surveys in the neighborhood around the church and invite people to the evening concert.

Hobbs said he had fun but was most looking forward to singing.

A 20-year member of Spring Valley's choir, he said the performance was one of the church's best.